Pinay forced to sex trade in Malaysia by traffickers

A 30-year-old Filipina was trapped into the so-called “debt bondage” and forced into doing sex work in Malaysia, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Sunday.

The woman, identified only as “Sally” was repatriated to Manila last 26 August with the assistance of the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

According to the BI, the victim left through the maritime backdoor route on 29 May this year.

The victim recounted that she was recruited to work as a waitress with two other women and were taken by a boat from Tawi-Tawi to Kota Kinabalu. Upon arriving, her documents were confiscated and she was made to work in a prostitution hub.

She further said that she received no salary or food allowance and was told she owed P200,000 in recruitment costs.

Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado said this is called “debt bondage,” where fraudulent debts are used to keep victims under control.

“This is a clear case of debt-bondage, wherein the victim is tied to their trafficker because of made up or trumped up debts,” Viado said.

As this developed, Senator Bong Go reminded the country’s ambassadors and officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) not to be remiss in taking care of OFWs.

Go said the DFA and the embassies and consular offices it oversees should be “open 24/7.”

The senator recently received a courtesy visit from newly appointed ambassadors of the DFA who would undergo confirmation from the Commission on Appointments.

The appointed Filipino envoys include Ambassadors Marlowe Miranda, Noel Novicio, Gines Gallaga, Pabs Mendoza, Jaime Ascalon and Patrick Hilado.

“Let’s help and have deep concern for our fellow Filipinos,” Go, who serves as vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, said in Filipino.

Go explained that emotional reassurance for the families of OFWs is just as critical as physical safety, noting the importance of open and accessible government communication lines.

“There should be peace of mind, there should always be someone in the office who can receive calls from the families of OFWs,” he added.

Go was one of the authors and was a co-sponsor of Republic Act (RA) 11641, which formally established the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

Signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte in December 2021, RA 11641 consolidated several agencies under a single department — the DMW — to provide more focused, responsive and efficient assistance for OFWs across the globe.

Go also highlighted his ongoing legislative efforts to institutionalize and improve healthcare services for OFWs.

He cited Senate Bill 2297, which he filed to ensure the long-term operation of the OFW Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga — a facility established during the Duterte administration in partnership with the Pampanga provincial government.

To further enhance the hospital’s capacity, Go also filed Senate Bill 2990, which seeks to double the facility’s bed capacity from 50 to 100, upgrade its medical equipment, and strengthen its healthcare workforce to serve more OFWs and their dependents.